Tag Archives: The Good Wife

The Good Wife, Grief and “Are You OK?”

14 Apr

There are three women who have been deeply impacted by the recent tragic events on The Good Wife and each of them have their own battles to fight as they try and work through their grief. The episode opens with a scene I think we all need as Alicia and Diane share memories and thoughts of Will post funeral in their own alcohol soaked memorial of him. The two (metaphorical) mistresses at the Irish funeral are missing their third and while it was always unlikely that Kalinda would join them, there is a time that her company with Alicia at a bar would be a given. Will meant a lot to these three characters for a multitude of reasons; partner, lover, confidante and it’s going to be a long time before any of them are truly fine.

Diane and AliciaBoth Cary and David Lee suggest to their respective partner that they should take time off and this offer gets rebuked from both women; there is no such suggestion for Kalinda. Kalinda’s loner status means that no one is really asking if she is OK either and she’s out on an island by herself. Alicia and Diane are facing their own isolation and even though the drunken suggestion of a merger tethers them together, they are still working through what this loss means solo. Diane is up against it at work as even though they had their ideological differences, Will generally had Diane’s back and now she has to put up with the David Lee’s and Damian’s of the world with no real support network. This is in part why she reaches out to Alicia about working together as there is mutual respect between them. Diane mentions how the “partners look at me like I’m a gazelle on the Savannah” as if she is easy prey, whereas before she has been a predator. It’s a repeated cycle that looks set to continue as even with Kalinda torpedoing Damian (so long for real this time), David Lee has another ace in his pocket and that’s Louis Canning. If things continue like this can we expect to see not a merger, but Diane jumping ship to Florrick/Agos?

The Good Wife JenniferAlicia spends the first half of “A Material World” convincing everyone that she’s fine and her desire to destroy David Lee is how she initially channels her grief (the anger stage). After a cross examination that turns existential – when someone dies there is nothing left of them – the concerned look that is etched over Diane’s face is warranted. Not for the case, but for Alicia’s mental health and what might come of their previous merger chat. It looks like Alicia is going to break in front of the snow covered steps of the courthouse, this is until she sees a familiar face and it’s Grace’s old tutor Jennifer! And she’s still all about improv dance. Jennifer looks so out of place in her stunning gold outfit and yet she is the push Alicia needs to confront and embrace her grief rather than ignoring it. More unanswerable questions are raised as Alicia unburdens herself on an almost stranger; she wonders whether she made a mistake with her chosen profession. Jennifer asks “What would you do instead?” and Alicia doesn’t know.

Will represents the path not taken, of all the things that could have been and his death cuts off this avenue. Alicia still has choices and the first one begins with crawling under the covers and shutting out the world, followed by a good dose of Darkness at Noon – there’s no way that “white hats with black linings” and the questions of morality this fake show dishes out isn’t some kind of dig/nod towards Scandal.

The Good Wife 5.17 giving none of the fucksAnother almost stranger is a catalyst for Alicia as a home visit from Finn (and his hair has sadly regained its volume now he is out of hospital, you need to lose the blowout look, other than that Finn can most definitely stay). Alicia has offered her services to Finn as she thinks he is being served up to take the fall for what happened with Jeffrey. Finn’s stop by gives Alicia a reason to crawl out of her bedroom pit and while Alicia needed a day like this, having a reason to get up is also essential. Their previous conversation about Will happened while Finn was drugged up to the eyeballs so the intensity of Alicia’s relationship with Will might not have stuck with him. After surveying this scene, it becomes very clear just how much Will meant to her. Finn gives some words of advice just as others have – “It doesn’t get solved quickly and you can’t just shake it off” – and Finn’s personal involvement in this tragedy means that his offer doesn’t sound hollow. Finn represents a connection to Will that no other person can and this provides an immediate bond with Alicia. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that he has mentioned his wife in two conversations with Alicia and it’s as if the King’s are letting us know they don’t intend this to be a romantic pairing.

Now here comes the humdinger of a conversation as Peter arrives home just as Finn is leaving, with Peter surveying Finn with caution as if to ask “why are you in my house?” Peter has gone from hugs to calling Alicia out on her Will feelings rather quickly and supporting his grieving wife over her true love was never going to be easy. No matter how much both Peter and Alicia have tried at various points to fix this marriage it has pretty much remained as empty as it was in the pilot, yes there have been a few good times but nowhere near as many as the bad. Nor have there been as many good moments as Alicia has shared with Will over the five seasons. I honestly can’t see a way back for this relationship after this episode, except for how they can benefit from each other professionally as Alicia has made it clear where her heart lies. Peter tries to suggest that she can’t be sure that Will loved her (I think it’s safe to say he did) and yes competing with a dead man is a losing battle before it begins, but this is done.

We’re so used to seeing Alicia so put together with her designer suit armor so this happening in full sweats, no makeup and puffy post cry face is jarring and incredibly powerful. There is no vanity here and it feels right that this moment of brutal honesty should come now. David Lee tells Diane earlier in the episode that she shouldn’t make any big decisions while she is grieving, Peter would probably say the same to Alicia but in both cases they are completely justifiable and it comes across as BS advice to protect David Lee’s own interests.

The Good Wife 5.17 KalindaKalinda is very much the lone wolf of this show and she often holds people at arm’s length. There are some exceptions including Alicia before her past dalliance with Peter was revealed, Cary is a complicated case and then there was Will. I don’t think either Alicia or Diane realize the importance of their relationship or how Will is the only person who truly understood Kalinda and there’s no reason they would as they were never present for any of their whiskey fueled heart to hearts. Kalinda isn’t a sharer either so when she goes to Cary it’s to use sex to forget; instead it brings up flashes of blood spray and Will’s lifeless eye. These images are repeated when she sleeps with Jenna, this time she gets passed them as she is at Jenna’s to help Diane with her Damian problem. Help is what she does and ends up with a smack across the face from a very pissed off Jenna for rifling through her things. I wonder if Kalinda will reach out to Alicia or Diane, or whether she will continue hiding her grief in secret along with that photo she placed in her notebook.

The death of Will has left a gaping hole in the professional and personal lives of Alicia, Diane and Kalinda and with each “Are you OK?” there is no simple answer. There is the socially expected “I’m fine” and this is the answer given on multiple occasions. The truth is so much more complicated and the battle lines they have drawn with the likes of Peter and David Lee will act as an outlet for this devastating loss. I suspect that Alicia’s offer of help to Finn is going to incur a whole lot of messiness as it directly involves Will’s death and looking at who is to blame. This might not be the healthiest course of grief counseling, but I also thing that Alicia needs something like this to help her answer the why, even if there isn’t one.

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Wishful Thinking and Voicemails on The Good Wife

31 Mar

At the start of season 2 of The Good Wife Will left two voicemails for Alicia; one told her to forget his declaration of love that ended season 1. The second retracted this and instead reiterated his original “I love you” statement, reinforcing his point further by saying he’d loved her since Georgetown. The latter message is one she never heard because Eli deleted it (oh Eli) and “The Last Call” is the tragic voicemail sequel. This is an incredibly exhausting, draining and exceptional hour of television that features an endless stream of A+ performances as reaction to Will’s death vary including anger (Cary) and general disbelief at the situation. Alicia deals with a series of unanswered questions as she tries to come to terms with this news and the mystery reason behind his phone call.

The Good Wife 5.16 alicia“Alicia… Hold, hold on Your Honor. I’ll call you back.” That’s all it is, no indication of what he wanted to talk to her about and Alicia spends the episode trying to piece together what happened in Will’s final hours and the reason behind his call. The voicemail is a distraction, so Alicia has something to do while she doesn’t know what to do. It’s why Alicia calls Kalinda, but instead of turning to each other with a couple of shots of tequila they both go about their separate business in searching for a why; Kalinda with Jeffery and Will’s final message for Alicia.

With a death this sudden it leaves a lot of unanswered questions from the more grand existential ones to the more immediate like how was he feeling before he died. The previous two episodes set up a reconciliation of sorts between Alicia and Will after months of anger and animosity; first over a semi-passive aggressive beer that cleared the air in a diner in New York. This was followed by Alicia sharing some information with Will to help him (well not in the end) with his client and it was clear things were finally thawing between them.

At this point it should have been clear that something was up, but as this is a show that doesn’t tend to kill its regular characters the signs were not all that obvious. Even if Will had been celebrating his last day, I wouldn’t have seen this coming. The sudden nature and finality of it all feels like a punch to the stomach to both the characters and us as an audience and while we were privy to the season 2 declaration of love voicemail, we are just as in the dark as Alicia on this occasion.

The Good Wife 5.16 DianeAlicia asks those closest to Will in both proximity – Finn, the judge and his assistant – and emotionally – Diane – why he was calling. Diane doesn’t know, but she also doesn’t think Will was upset at her. This is one of the many bleary eyed scenes (to be honest my screen is looking pretty hazy as I type this) as Diane tells Alicia that Will loved her. Of all the reactions to Will’s death there are several moments where people recoil from a tender shoulder squeeze. Alicia rejects Eli’s attempt to reach out when Kalinda calls to tell her the news as Eli is part of her Peter world and has no place in this (even if he is of course saddened by the news) and David Lee does the same to Diane. David doesn’t want to let his emotions betray his shark like exterior as this is something he has perfected over the years. When he barks at people to leave a room at first I thought he might be thinking only of the business, to see him grief stricken for a moment is completely unexpected and shows that everyone, even David Lee has humanity. Well aside from one of Will’s clients who demands a meeting, amazing kickass reactions from Diane as she blackballs this douche to other law firms “They liked Will, they don’t like you.”

With Alicia and Diane it is different; they both know how the other felt about Will and they’ve already shown a public display of grief and unity in their lobby embrace. The hand holding/shoulder squeeze is in an extension of that and despite their recently fraught relationship, all differences get put aside. It’s also worth noting that both Alicia and Diane are wearing colors both associated with mourning with Alicia in black and Diane in purple. Alicia’s jacket is structured and armor like with its zips and Diane’s bold chain statement necklace suggests that she is unbreakable and steadfast even at a time like this.

The Good Wife 5.15 WillThere are two versions of Will that flash through Alicia’s mind when she first hears the news; the warm smiling Will who loved her and the angry Will who felt betrayed by Alicia. Maria, Finn’s assistant confirms Alicia’s fear that Will was calling to rail against her for stealing Candice as a client. There’s nothing Alicia can do to change this and a conversation with Grace about God, heaven and the meaning behind this is tainted with this belief that Will’s last message was rooted in rage. Grace tries to explain why it is better to have faith, with Alicia countering that her lack of faith is “not better, it’s just truer. It’s just not wishful thinking.”

One detail makes all the difference and that is the gender of the person who Will was angry at for stealing clients and not only does this swiftly deal with the character dead end that is Damian (so long, you will not be missed) it also gives Alicia some small comfort. While Finn can’t offer up Will’s last words as he didn’t have any – he was trying to speak but couldn’t – Will was not alone as Finn held his hand until the ambulance arrived. Even though this is the first time Finn and Alicia are meeting there is an instant rapport and I’m really glad that Matthew Goode has signed on for the rest of the season. I’m not suggesting this is going to lead to anything romantic (far from it, he mentions a wife and son for starters), but there is an immediate bond because of what went down in the courthouse. Finn is Alicia’s last connection to Will and while it’s most likely due to his drugged up state Finn shares one very important vague piece of information that is left open to interpretation “He wanted to tell you something.”

The Good Wife 5.15 middle distanceAlicia constructs the fairy tale version of Will’s voicemail while Peter attempts to comfort her; Alicia has spent the entire episode avoiding him as he’s not part of her Will world, far from it. While she stares into the middle distance this is the call she imagines with Will telling her “Alicia I’m sorry. I want what we had, I want to be with you and only you, forever.Call me back please.” It’s her own version of the other voicemail she never heard and even though she can’t be sure what he was going to say, sometimes you have to cling to wishful thinking.

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The Good Wife: What We Wear and How We Are Perceived

17 Mar

Presentation and perception are at the heart of The Good Wife – it all started with a woman standing beside her disgraced husband with the media and public making all kinds of judgement calls. Alicia Florrick has come far since that press conference; she has her own firm and she’s the wife of the governor. So while we know Alicia’s origin story and we’ve seen her life as a stay-at-home mom, her attempt to go back to work immediately post-scandal is something previously discussed and not shown. “A Few Words” revisits this period as Alicia writes a keynote speech about “opting back in” after a period away from practicing law and we see her struggle to get a job thanks to her name and how a chance elevator meeting (of course) led her to Stern, Lockhart & Gardner.

One of the many striking aspects about The Good Wife is how costume designer Daniel Lawson uses clothes to add insight into a characters thoughts, feelings and background. This is something I have written about on multiple occasions this season and this episode incorporates many of these aspects; memory, power and sex. What you wear can be a powerful tool and the contrast between present day Alicia and the one we see in her flashbacks is striking.

The Good Wife 5.14 contrastAlicia’s first flashback suit is a cornflower blue jacket and she instantly stands out while waiting with the other all male job candidates. These dudes are all pretty interchangeable even if their suits are slightly different colors. Alicia is reading a magazine (one that she buries beneath the stack as she sees her own photo) while everyone else is busy (or at least pretending to be) on their Blackberries. We’ve already seen Alicia in this attire in the previous interview scene and this just reinforces the notion of how much she has changed both in her style and who she is.

The Good Wife 5.14 buttoned upKalinda’s original investigation into Alicia reveals that Alicia was going to get fired from her job just prior to her leaving to raise her family as she lacked “a killer instinct.” This is something she definitely possesses now, it took time to get there but her departure from Lockhart Gardner demonstrated her killer instincts. What this past look at Alicia also shows is how buttoned up she is in both senses of the word; just look at that collar. This attire reeks of her well-to-do suburban lifestyle and this color is not something that would feature in Alicia’s current wardrobe.

The Good Wife 5.14 elevatorHere’s a slightly better shot of the jacket and the reunion between Will and Alicia happens in an elevator, as if it could have happened anywhere else. This is where memory comes into play and while there isn’t a suit color change this time – thoughts aren’t clouded by sex recollections – both remember their greeting in a slightly different way. Both recall the other calling them by their full name; the flirtatious, warm overtones are present in each one.

The Good Wife 5.14 cream jacketEverything Alicia wears in the past is from a soft color palette and while Alicia still wears cream now, everything we see in the present in this episode is on the dark end of the scale.

The Good Wife 5.14 speech writingOther than factors such as hair and makeup this provides instant coding as to what is now and then; Alicia is in a position of power and while she’s still trying to sell herself to other lawyers, she’s far from the bottom of the pile.

The Good Wife 5.14 pearlsAh yes, imaginary conversations with Jackie Florrick as Alicia awaits her interview with Will and ‘Jackie’ tells her “You like nice things, so go be a whore.” ‘Jackie’ also calls Alicia a slut; imaginary Jackie as her inner voice isn’t very kind. Alicia’s interview attire is more revealing than her previous attempts and yet it still screams wife of a politicians thanks to the pearls. Grey is definitely going to make you look more lawyer like than cornflower blue.

So what purpose does ‘Jackie’ serve? Well she lets us know that on one level Alicia does feel like she got the job because of her past almost romantic relations with Will (bad timing remember). It’s a complicated situation, especially as Will claims he never linked work and Alicia together. This I don’t completely buy and maybe Will only pushed hard (phrasing) for Alicia because she was his friend at college, but a small aspect of it had to be down to their connection. Alicia has reconciled these feelings in her speech “Use everything you have to get the job and don’t feel entitled.” Basically don’t listen to your inner Jackie.

The Good Wife 5.14 Cary and AliciaThere’s a fun moment with Cary and Alicia’s first meeting – that is not a good hair look Cary – as Alicia asks what his first impression of her was. Cary initially lies (“I liked you”) and then admits he thought Alicia was entitled. Alicia agrees with this summation as does he with her assessment that he was a “cocky new associate.” Now look at them! The Cary/Alicia relationship progression is one of my favorite things on The Good Wife and it shows that sometimes we can be semi-right about our first impressions, but there is also much room for growth.

the good wife 5.14 got the jobAs we already know Alicia got the job (as did Cary) and between this closing scene and the diner handshake between Will and Alicia, I have a feeling she will be bailing him out soon in one way or another thanks to this line from Will “Alicia, when I’m broke and lying in an alley somewhere, do something nice for me.”

The Good Wife 5.14 red tweedBack in the present and the keynote speech not only acts as a way to add another layer to the Alicia/Will story, but it also shows Alicia trying to sell herself in another manner. Now it’s all about promoting the new firm and they want to land lawyers like Rayna who bring big business. The speech is the perfect way to do this and Alicia uses feminism as the overall theme to try and win Rayna over. It doesn’t quite go to plan and while they don’t end up with Rayna (she’s setting up shop with Elsbeth!), Alicia is definitely in demand as one of the original firms that turned her away because of her name offers her a job. She doesn’t take it of course, but it must be incredibly satisfying to come full circle in this manner; some new clients for Florrick/Agos would have probably been a better score though.

The Good Wife 5.14Red and black are the present day color palette choices with a red tweed jacket as she’s writing followed by the black keynote speech ensemble. As I mentioned before it’s all about being taken seriously and these are Alicia’s confidence clothes.

The Good Wife 5.14 red jacketRed is Alicia’s ultimate power armor and as she’s leaving the hotel she’s wearing this color. This is when she gets the job offer and all looks pretty good from here and in a previous scene Alicia’s responds to the question of “What do you want Alicia?” with “A happy life and to control my fate.” This is well within her reach, until it all comes crashing down next week with the election scandal brewing and Will’s huge dilemma.

The Good Wife 5.14 ElsbethIn terms of perception, Elsbeth is incredibly disarming as we have seen on countless occasion as people underestimate her ability to go for the jugular. Just because she wears scarves and frilly collars that have an Austin Powers feel doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be taken seriously, even if ultimately Dubeck ends up gaining the upper hand. It’s always a joy whenever Carrie Preston guest stars and I think I might be shipping Elsbeth and Clarke after her “High Hopes” rendition.

The Good Wife 5.14 bird pinThere’s not a lot of Diane this week sadly, but she does make sure Will tells her what is going on and all while wearing yet another incredible pin that rivals the dragon fly (these pins tend to come from antique shops if you are on the hunt for one). This bird pin is like a mockingjay has just spread its wings and flown free.

“A Few Words” deals with a variety of the long term arcs like Will and Alicia’s relationship which has been present since The Good Wife started and other more recent overarching stories like the ballot box swap. How Alicia is perceived in relation to Peter is another consistent theme and this time feminism in the workplace is also in focus (as my friend Noel Kirkpatrick points out the last time they were this overt was with Caitlin).

Costuming helps signify how far a character has progressed and Alicia is far from the person we met in the pilot; professionally and personally. Alicia is no longer perceived as the woman standing behind her husband with a look of shame on her face; she’s standing tall upfront and on her own. Well, she’s not entirely on her own as the Florrick name is still important and with Peter heading towards another scandal, Alicia might have to dig down into those stoic reserves. If she wants to really be happy and control her own fate, standing by Peter’s side once again might not be the way to do it.

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Fantasy Costuming: Which TV Character Would Wear this Burberry Prorsum Coat?

19 Feb

The fun thing about fantasy costuming is that conversations can be generated from almost any item of clothing and after TV Ate My Wardrobe friend and contributor Julie Hammerle alerted me to Naomie Harris’s incredible Burberry Prorsum pre-fall 2014 coat it sort of spiraled from Twitter to here. Harris attended the Burberry Prorsum fall 2014 London Fashion Week show on Monday and she managed to stand out in a crowd that also included Bradley Cooper, Anna Wintour and Harry Styles (who is quite the fashion week fan).

So which TV character could sport this stunning piece of outerwear?

Naomie Harris Burberry ProrsumFirst up is Hannibal’s Dr. Alana Bloom – there were also some suggestions that Hannibal himself, a wearer of Burberry could pull it off – as rich color and pattern are a key component of her costuming. While the floral jacquard velvet print is reminiscent of the stunning wallpaper used on Sherlock and all things 19th century, there’s also something of an inkblot quality to it which would work rather well with the overall theme of the show.

Burberry Prorsum pre-fall 2014This dress from the same pre-fall 2014 collection is also calling out to be used on Hannibal and as I’ve discussed in the past, Alana is one of the only characters who wears red on the show. Hannibal is one of the most visually accomplished and stunning shows on TV and something like this would fit into the look of this world. It’s all about attention to detail and the closer you look at this dress, the more you see.

Burberry ProrsumBack to the coat in question and another show that likes to use Burberry and that’s Scandal. While the color is perfect for Mellie, the overall look isn’t really her style. As one of our other contributors, Whitney McIntosh (see I said this was a group effort) pointed out it’s the kind of thing that Abby would wear. Abby’s had a wardrobe overhaul in season 3 and there’s been an increase in dramatic prints as her confidence has been on the rise and this coat would be a great alternative to the wine colored Donna Karan she has been wearing this year.

The Good Wife’s Diane Lockhart is another character who wouldn’t look out of place in a coat like this, as her office wear is very much on the high end exquisite scale.

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New York Fashion Week 2014: Day 1 and 2 Fantasy Costuming Round-up

8 Feb

It’s day 3 of New York Fashion Week and there’s already been runway shows galore. We thought we’d share some of our favorite looks so far from the fall 2014 collections and as the weather is still pretty terrible there’s a lot of knitwear and coats that look pretty enticing. What we’re going to do is some quick fire fantasy costuming from 10 different runway shows.

Kate SpadeJess wears a lot of Kate Spade on New Girl and the bow detail on this plaid coat is perfect for Ms. Day. As is the sparkly dress that is peaking out below it.

Kate Spade NYFWMindy doesn’t wear a lot of pants on The Mindy Project, but she does have an extensive collection of coats and this beautiful one from Kate Spade is very much in her bold color wheelhouse.

Kate Spade 2014It’s not 1950s vintage, but Kate Spade’s three-quarter length sleeve coat is very Virginia Johnson from Masters of Sex. The purse and gloves are heaven as are the brogues. The hat is super cute but maybe not for the Johnson look.

Charlotte Ronson 2014For Elizabeth Jennings when she is on some spy recon that might require a slight flash of leg on The Americans or this Charlotte Ronson skirt and sweater would probably be Britta’s idea of what a psychologist should wear on Community.

Creatures of Comfort 2014April from Parks and Recreation is all about the plaid and while I’m not sure if she’d be all that into the neckerchief, this Creatures of Comfort outfit is pretty April to me.

Nonoo 2014Scandal’s Abby has the best hair on TV (ok joint with Connie Britton) and her raven locks would look great with this dress from Nonoo and it is Scandal office appropriate.

NonooWhile I’m not loving the shiny Nonoo pants, this layered looking sweater is fantastic and is very Annie Edison on Community.

Tanya TaylorThis dress by Tanya Taylor screams Marnie from Girls – PS I hope she hooks up with Ray again on this week’s episode. I don’t know why I ship this couple but I do.

Rebecca MinkoffKate from Trophy Wife would look fantastic in this Rebecca Minkoff leather mini. The coat and blouse add a hint of office wear sophistication while still looking pretty cool. Alternatively this could be another Abby from Scandal outfit.

Rag & BoneRag & Bone are taking their cues from the ’90s and while this is very My So-Called Life I’m going to give this hooded sweater to Ilana on Broad City. I would switch the skirt for some short shorts.

Coach 2014Another April Ludgate outfit, this time from Coach.

CoachFlashback fantasy costuming with Coach and this would be ideal for Felicity Porter for her sophomore fall semester and we can pretend she doesn’t chop all her hair off on Felicity.

Peter Som 2014Olivia Pope loves a belted coat and this patterned Peter Som piece represents the chaos that surrounds her life on Scandal at the moment.

Peter SomAlana Bloom tends to wear a lot of pattern on Hannibal and this visually arresting Peter Som dress would look fantastic on her. The blurred floral imagery could mirror how uncertain things are going to get for this season as she works to prove that Will is innocent.

Tadashi ShojiMoving onto beautiful dresses with Tadashi Shoji and Mellie on Scandal always looks stunning in primary colors; it’s a strong contrast to the Olivia Pope neutral palette and this royal blue gown would look killer at a White House function.

Tadashi Shoji NYFWRed is one of Alicia Florrick’s power play costume colors and as we saw at the fancy soiree in season 4, Julianna Margulies looks as stunning in scarlet formal wear as she does in the courtroom on The Good Wife. This Tadashi Shoji dress would be a great addition to her closet.

Tadashi Shoji 2014One show that loves grand parties no matter what the theme or body count is The Vampire Diaries and the final of the three Tadashi Shoji beautiful gowns is so Elena (or Katherine). Basically Nina Dobrev should wear this.

Look out for more coverage of New York Fashion Week from TV Ate My Wardrobe.

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The Good Wife Costuming: Alicia Plays Mind Games and Diane Lockhart’s Power Suits

6 Jan

The power plays continue between Alicia and Will on The Good Wife with costuming playing a role once again in perception. Instead of using clothing as a sign that memory differs from person to person when it comes to details such as color, Alicia’s outfit choice in “Goliath and David” is accurately imprinted on Will’s mind. We’re also going to be taking a look at Diane Lockhart’s never ending collection of incredible jackets and statement jewelry because they pretty much stop us in our tracks and we turn into a bumbling mess like Will.

The Good Wife 5.11 the suitAfter Will uses something work related against Alicia in court to fluster her, Alicia takes this mind game to the next level and uses their personal relationship to fluster. In the last episode we saw both Will and Alicia having sex flashbacks to their time together and Alicia’s wardrobe change provokes a similar response as Will gets lost in an elevator hookup fog. This is the suit Alicia wore in the season 2 finale when they went from tequilas in a hotel bar to the Presidential suite and she’s not so subtly reminds him of this event. This shot of Will looking down at Alicia is pretty much from his POV and throughout the episode the pair are framed together in a tight space as they continue to circle each other in such a close proximity.

The Good Wife 5.11 Will and AliciaWill tells Diane he is fine repeatedly and if I know anything it’s the more times you say you’re fine, the less fine you are. Will is taking on cases that aren’t even his just so he can go up against Alicia and it’s clear this is an attempt to heal his bruised ego and broken heart. The problem is Alicia is coming across like she is giving none of the fucks and while I think she does care, at this point the petty games have taken over and she’s just trying to get Will out of her orbit. This suit looks like the one in the imagined cross examination Will had with Alicia in the last episode and this further highlights its significance.

The Good Wife 5.11 Diane LockhartDiane spends most of the episode trying to maintain order at LG (ugh that rebranding) and reining Will in. Will and Diane conflict is nothing new and they’ve had many disagreements in the past; he’s impulsive and she’s level-headed. The Damian factor doesn’t help and he’s too cartoonish to take seriously as a character (plus the Kalinda love story is another dud in a history of Kalinda romantic subplots) and Diane’s side is by far the better choice at this point. This isn’t just because we’re in love with this outfit, but the combination of red and the statement necklace help give Diane a commanding presence in a room that is full of ego and emotions.

Diane Lockhart Leopard Print 5.11 The Good WifeIt’s another bold work choice and there aren’t many people who could pull off snow leopard print at work; Diane Lockhart is one of them and it’s worth noting again how fantastic the wardrobe choices are for this character as they avoid the usual ‘woman of a certain age’ at the office wear. She’s an incredibly stylish character, but these clothes also don’t overshadow who she is or the power she yields. Whiskey drinking scenes usually come at a time of celebration between Will and Diane, this one is more like a peace offering as Diane notes they have had a “psychological break.” Diane is rightly worried there is a frantic quality to Will’s expansion plan, however he can still use her decision to leave as leverage and she relents that he can have whatever he wants. Diane sounds resigned to Will as no doubt she will have to pick up the pieces and the glimpse we saw of Will’s psyche in the 100th episode is a sign of things to come.

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Josh Charles Discusses The Good Wife and Golden Globes

2 Jan

The supporting actor/actress TV categories at the Golden Globes include comedy, drama, mini-series and TV movie. This is a lot of different types of shows to cover and it often resembles a strange mix of genre and quite often famous faces. This year is no different and The Good Wife’s Josh Charles is the only network representative with comedy getting completely shut out – the other four nominees are Aaron Paul, Rob Lowe, Jon Voight and Corey Stoll – and he sat down with Gold Derby to chat about this nomination and this excellent season of The Good Wife.

The Good Wife Network vs. cable is discussed and Charles explains that he goes back and forth on the notion that it’s unfair to compare the two. What he does mention is that “good writing is good writing” and The Good Wife has been consistently on top of their game, with season 5 taking it to the next level. Time and structure are two constraints as cable has far fewer episodes and tend to shoot the bulk, if not all of them before they air. Whereas typically The Good Wife is only four episodes ahead of what has aired. This does work in their favor sometimes as they can respond to current news events and the references don’t feel stale by the time it is broadcast.

Individual episodes like “Hitting the Fan” and “The Giving Tree” are reference and both serve as series highlights. Getting into Will’s psyche was a fun experience for Charles as it’s rare for Will to drop his mask and from this Sunday’s preview (which you can watch below) it looks like Will has put the defenses back up and is using arrogance once again as a coping strategy.

Josh Charles has already directed two episodes and he reveals that episode 19 is his next time at the helm. When talking about guest stars he mentions Victor Garber. I am beyond excited that Spy Daddy is showing up on both Sleepy Hollow and The Good Wife in the coming weeks.

Watch the full interview and promo for this Sunday’s episode “Goliath and David” below.

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Best of 2013 TV Costuming: Group Discussion

31 Dec

TV Ate My Wardrobe’s Best of 2013 Costuming series concludes today and I am joined by Kerensa Cadenas and Julie Hammerle to talk about this excellent year of costume design. We’re here to talk about a variety of shows and topics including Scandal, what shows influenced our own wardrobe choices and what we’re hoping to try out in 2014.

For all of the Best of 2013 articles head here. Happy New Year!

Olivia Pope Scandal S3Emma: 2013 has been an excellent year for TV, so much so that I know we all have certain shows that we haven’t had time to watch yet (for me it is Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones and Enlightened). What I would like to do is talk about our highlights of the year from a costume/fashion perspective; which shows have stood out, shocked, enthralled, disappointed and influenced some of your own clothing choices.

I’m going to start with the show that we discussed in depth in October and that’s Scandal. It’s one of the most talked about shows in terms of everything with Olivia Pope’s style dominating sites (like this one) and fashion magazines. The rise of Scandal has also seen an influx of Kerry Washington magazine covers and deservedly so. The costuming on Scandal has got more audacious and season 3 has delivered some exceptional pieces including every single coat (and specifically the Burberry trench in the S3 premiere) and this Rubin Singer dress looks like superhero couture. Olivia continues to perplex and impress me with her red wine drinking/no spilling skills as I would have ruined all of that cashmere by now.

Other Scandal highlights for me include Abby’s Diane von Furstenberg updated wardrobe and ditching the poker straight hair for the wavier look is an instant win. Maybe dial back on the eyeliner. Same goes for Quinn. Mellie’s Chanel pearls are perfect as are all of her updated Nancy Reagan red suits. All the bonus points for putting Scott Foley in military dress uniform, leather jackets, hoodies and THAT suit.

What on Scandal has stood out for both of you this year?

Kerensa: I can’t help it but literally fashion-wise, Olivia is blinding. So much so that it’s almost hard to notice anyone else.  All those coats with those amazing collars and perfectly matched gloves and bags. For the season 3 premiere, my Scandal watching partner in crime and I attempted to wear our most Olivia-esque cardigans, he succeeded. I can say despite all of Olivia’s fashion slam-dunks, I did not like that dress that she wore to the White House Correspondents Dinner.

I think James always looks great and I’ll leave all Scott Foley related business to our resident expert, Julie. What do we think about Fitz though? I mean it’s all very generic and presidential obviously, but I was speaking with a friend recently and we both think that Fitz is probably wearing a lot of dad-seeming things–jeans, shoes, etc. And he would especially if they lived in Vermont. Ugh Fitz.

Scandal 3.05 Olivia and Jake WHCD Julie: As a ’90s gal, I’m fine with the eyeliner on Abby and Quinn, but that might just be me. Also, I loved the Rubin Singer dress, which was total knockout. It reminded me a bit of Julia Roberts’s Oscar gown, one of my favorites of all time. I’m a big fan of a black and white evening gown. Olivia’s dress may have had some fit issues, but that could’ve been due to her early pregnancy curves.

As far as Mr. Foley goes, I want him either shirtless or in a suit. There you go, Scandal costume people, your job is done. The moment where he’s revealed to be the new Command was our notice to sit up and take notice of all Scott Foley-in-a-suit has to offer. And it’s a lot.

Fitz is so generic and so, kind of, old. His costuming is just dull. He’s dull. It all fits (Fitz?) together.

I think the costumers have done a great job with Mellie as well, showing us this softer, less conniving woman before working on Fitz’s presidential campaign (and before being sexually assaulted by her father-in-law), and then contrasting those looks with the Washington power wife she has become.

Scandal 3.08 red suit plotting

Emma: I guess it’s hard to be a super stylish President and while I don’t think he needs to be emulating Harrison or James, there’s just not much to talk about with Fitz and fashion. He did wear a turtleneck in the flashback, but most of my feelings about turtlenecks aren’t particularly flattering. Same applies for Fitz.

As it’s become clear that they’re (thankfully) not going to write in a pregnancy storyline it will be interesting to see what inventive methods they will use to hide Kerry Washington’s bump, I’m picturing more oversized coats and purses.

Moving on from Scandal and another show which makes me wish I had a reason to wear expensive lady suits and that’s The Good Wife. I know you both only dipped into this for the first time this year with the incredible “Hitting the Fan” and I wanted to know if anything costume wise stood out to you because I think they’re one of the best dressed casts on TV. This piece on Diane Lockhart’s costuming is also TV Ate My Wardrobe’s most popular article of the year and I think that says a lot about both the character and the clothes she wears. TV has been championed for great roles for women over 40 and The Good Wife does a fantastic job of avoiding the pitfalls of clothes you might expect a woman of a certain age to wear.

What do you guys think about this?

Diane Stone ColdJulie: Having only watched the one Good Wife episode this season, I don’t have much to add, other than the two “ladies of a certain age” on the show do look lovely and professional. Christine Baranski always gets those kinds of roles, doesn’t she? You never see her playing the schlubby old hausfrau or anything. She’s always, like, the society maven or the company CEO or (in the case of The Big Bang Theory) Leonard’s mother, who is also renowned psychologist.

Emma: Yeah I can’t think of a Christine Baranski role doesn’t require poise. I’m so happy The Good Wife has given her a role that doesn’t feel like the stereotypical older woman who has chosen her career over a family nonsense.

Are there any shows which have influenced your clothing choices this year?

Julie: That’s a good question about what on TV influenced my clothing choices. Hmmm…well, I just received the same lipstick that Max uses on 2 Broke Girls (Tarte’s Envy) for Christmas, so there’s that. Oh, and I bought myself a fluffy white sweater that I often wear while eating popcorn and drinking red wine (I’ve had to have it cleaned six times already).

Beyond that, I’ve mostly reverted to the ’90s after watching My So-Called Life. I bought a pair of Dr. Martens and I’ve been wearing darker lipstick.

How about you?

Jess pjsEmma: Currently typing this while wearing my new polka dot pajama set and quite a few of my Christmas gifts had a TV influence. So yeah New Girl’s a big one and at the moment I’m on the hunt for an a-line wool mini skirt a la Jess. This is mostly because I have lots of tights and sweaters that I think would look good with this. Alas no joy yet. Same goes for my endless quest to find the perfect mustard yellow hoodie that I have been coveting since I first saw April Ludgate wear one when she drove to the Grand Canyon with Andy on Parks and Rec.

This year I’ve also tried a couple of Megan Draper influenced stylings including a scarf in my hair and a short sleeved/high neck sweater that looks late 60s esque. With the Mad Men stuff I try not to imitate too much otherwise it looks like fancy dress. In real life Kiernan Shipka is showing what it looks like for a 14 year old to dress better than anyone else in this cast. She is my everything, please don’t ruin her Hollywood. I’m also scared for all things Flowers in the Attic – haven’t you seen it Kerensa?

And yes the 90s! So glad to have all this plaid back in my wardrobe, though I wish I’d saved it all first time around. I still haven’t tried out the super dark brown/rose lip stick; I should probably get on that.

What I really would like in my life is some Olivia Pope sized wine glasses and pretty much all the furniture and fixings from any of the Scandi shows.

What about you Kerensa? Any TV wardrobe influences this year? And to you both is there something you want to try out in 2014?

Julie: I’ve also been wearing a lot of Jess Day-inspired pajamas. With dogs and monkeys on them.

I love the question of what to try out in 2014. It’s like making a TV fashion-related New Year’s resolution. My hair is about the same length (and color) as April’s on Parks and Rec, and I’d like to try getting mine a little wavier, like hers.

Also, on the Jess Day train, I’m always on the lookout for cute dresses and glasses (though I cannot pull off the big nerd frames. I’m more of a Mad Men/cat eye kind of girl).

What about you ladies?

MM_602_MY_1107_0801.SizedKerensa: As has Julie, I’ve only seen a few episodes this season of The Good Wife, so I can’t really speak to the clothes on that show either. But in my current catch up of the show, holy crap, yes.

Kiernan is the most fashionable 14 year old ever. And yes, I did see Flowers in the Attic, and I’m proud to report that it is A TREAT.

In terms of 2014 TV inspired resolutions, I’d like to just be Olivia Pope pretty much. But my general clumsiness, inability to not stain anything white-hued and working from home I think kinda negates that from happening. I’d love to take a page from Megan Draper’s wardrobe–that cool, sexy, effortless 60s Valley of the Dolls vibe she always has going. I agree with Julie that I’m loving April’s hair on Parks and Recreation right now, so it’s the right length, I just need to make myself take the straightening iron out of my hand.

A little out of the discussion, but I just watched Skins: Fire last night, which wrapped up the entire Skins series in 2013. Fire focuses on Effy, one of my favorites of the endlessly gorgeous extremely selfish and damaged characters. She begins working at a London hedge fund. In terms of television, it’s certainly not the greatest (I say this as I’m watching the other 4 episodes right now) but Effy’s wardrobe for this job is amazing. I mean it certainly doesn’t hurt that Kaya Scodelario is model-y gorgeous but her outfits are all these amazing leather trimmed structured blazers, nipped mini-dresses paired with tights and booties. It’s so reminiscent of her teen wardrobe–all leather clad, ripped tights and plenty of angst–but grown up. And I want every single piece of it. Oh and Olivia’s wine glasses, a staple.

April owlEmma: I like that April Ludgate is a style icon for us all; for hair and hoodies (and owl sweaters).

As far as 2014 goes for me I’m hoping to get some inspiration from the new season of The Americans (seriously I really want their son Henry’s rainbow jacket) and blend it with some Felicity stylings. Pretty much a Keri Russell hybrid.

Both Abby from Scandal and Alana Bloom on Hannibal wear some excellent Diane von Furstenberg patterned dresses and while I can’t afford actual DVF I’d like to add to my  wrap dress collection.

And if I could not spill anything on my clothes I would be a very happy lady. I fear this is a resolution to far for me.

Jumping off from your Skins comment Kerensa (and those outfits do sound amazing) are there any particular moments/shows/characters that stand out in terms of costuming and style?

Are there any returning or new shows that you’re anticipating for their costuming?

Julie: Big sweaters forever! Also, I’m going to start re-wearing long sheath dresses over T-shirts with Chuck Taylors, because I’m still 17, I think.

Oh, yes. I love Alana’s dresses on Hannibal. That show is so subtly fashionable. I say that because sometimes it’s hard to recall what I’ve seen beyond all the gore.

As far as costume moments go, we already talked about Olivia Pope’s Correspondents Ball dress, which I loved. I’m having trouble thinking beyond that at the moment. I’m currently watching Masters of Sex and loving everything Lizzy Caplan wears on that show (when she wears clothing).

I’m looking forward to Game of Thrones returning, for many reasons beyond fashion, but I do want to see how they style the Dornishmen and what kind of fabulous dress they put on Margaery for her wedding to Joffrey.

And of course The Walking Dead returns in February, and I hope Carol returns to the group with every designer gown she can find in tow. Because while everyone else is raiding drug and grocery stores, I bet no one thought to break into Gucci or Prada to steal their wears.

Felicity 1.09 cable knit jumperEmma: I just got the most amazing big mohair striped sweater from the Dr Martens shop (which I think you both would love). It would be both Angela and Felicity approved. I’ve wanted a mohair sweater for ages (Trudy Campbell wears one in the Kennedy assassination episode of Mad Men and I’ve been obsessed ever since). That’s one 2014 wish to be ticked off the list before the new year has started. Thank you sale shopping.

Hannibal’s suits are impeccable, it’s such a beautiful show considering how horrifying it is and it’s high on my most anticipated list.

Other shows I’m looking forward to returning include The Americans because all the wigs and everything else, Girls as I want to see if they can top Marnie’s plastic dress from last year and Mad Men because of all the reasons. I still need to watch Game of Thrones.

With new shows Looking is top of my list and I’m interested to see a show set somewhere slightly different and how this influences costuming choice. On the other end of the scale is True Detective as it looks grimy. And you know the Harrelson/McConaughey factor.

One of the big shows this year for me has been Orphan Black and all the many versions of Tatiana Maslany. That’s why it’s also on my 2014 list of things to look forward to. I’ve written about a lot of my favorite costume moments in the Best of 2013 series I’ve been doing and Leslie Knope’s wedding dress *might* be my personal highlight as both it and that episode encapsulated everything that makes Parks and Recreation such a joy to watch.

Now I want to see a fashionista character on The Walking Dead. That would be the best.

Orphan Black SarahJulie: I need to watch Orphan Black, which I just got for Christmas. Looking looks fabulous, even more so since my new Frozen crush Jonathan Groff is on it.

And seriously. Why are people in the Zombpocalypse not wearing more fashionable clothing? I’d wear a tiara every day to go with my katana blades.

Kerensa: Yes to the Orphan Black costuming! It’s so great. All of Felix’s short robes and Sarah’s general bad-assery (aka my ideal look). Looking forward to what they do with other clones as well!

As for returning–I don’t know if RuPaul’s Drag Race counts but goddamn the fashions on that show. And it’s always doubly impressive since the contestants are making all those looks themselves. Also, everything that RuPaul wears always and forever. The man wears a skinny suit impeccably as well as a sequined ball gown.

I’ll be interested as well what’s in store for Girls–especially with Jessa. I just want to see how they can top her ridiculous boho European free spirit stuff every year.

Side note: Julie I don’t know if you watch, but what do we think about the costuming on The Carrie Diaries? I think a lot of it is pretty ridiculous but I kinda love it anyways.

Express YourselfEmma: Super on the Orphan Black watching front, you’re in for a treat. It’s the only show that has made me wish for dreadlocks (it would never happen).

RuPaul’s Drag Race is something I’ve only ever seen via The Soup, it’s something I’d love to catch a whole season of and those outfits sound fantastic!

With The Carrie Diaries I’m so in love with all the crazy pattern clashing and the fact they’ve found every slogan tee for Dorrit from Forever 21 – there was one in the last episode that read “I Hate Everyone” which is pretty much perfect. I like that they’re got going for complete authenticity with the costuming and use items from mostly affordable stores. It makes sense for this audience (well the small one it has) to go this route rather than a Mad Men style one. It’s not a costuming note, but I do want to highlight how amazing the Walt storyline has been and especially the bonding time with Dadshaw over Golden Girls. Back to costuming everything Donna LaDonna wears is the perfect amount of excess. Same with Samantha and her ab baring tops.

As always it has been a pleasure discussing TV and fashion with you both.
I’m pretty obsessed with the idea of The Walking Dead plus Prada now to be honest.

 

Kerensa Cadenas is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is a staff writer for Women and Hollywood. She also writes for This Was Television, Forever Young Adult, and Bitch magazine. She was the Research Editor for Tomorrow magazine. You can follow her on Twitter and read her ridiculous thoughts about teen television at her website.

Julie Hammerle is, according to Klout, an expert in the areas of both Morgan Freeman and glasses. Her writing can be found at chicagonow.com/hammervision and you can holler at her on Twitter as well.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

6 Dec

‘Tis the season for all of those end of year musings and the start of the many award shows between now and the Oscars. “Out of the Box” is taking a look at the red carpet offerings from this week, in what I should imagine will be the first of many award show fashion posts in the coming months. While I might normally moan about the absence of color, as it’s heading towards the holiday season the variety of twists on the LBD is more than acceptable.

Gotham Awards

There is so much to say about this group shot from the Gotham Independent Film Awards and bullet points seem like the best way forward:

  • Michael B. Jordan has been killing it on the red carpet all year and I’m so happy to see him getting so much recognition; he picked up Breakthrough Actor for Fruitvale Station at this awards show.
  • Rashida Jones has filmed her last Parks and Recreation episode which is giving me all the Leslie and Ann related sads, but yay for real life friendship.
  • Also Amy Poehler looks stunning in a leather shouldered Catherine Deane dress. And yes I’m totally digging her real life romance with Nick Kroll who hosted the Gotham Awards. Will ‘The Douche’ make an appearance this season?
  • Oh hey, Jordan Catalano’s hair is super long and I kind of like it. While my teen crush on Jared Leto has all but gone I am looking forward to seeing Dallas Buyers Club and the inevitable reunion with Claire Danes at the Golden Globes. This needs to happen.

Zosia MametAt the same event Girls star Zosia Mamet looks super cute in a Rebecca Minkoff black mini jersey dress. Mamet’s red carpet face tends to give off an air of boredom, not on this occasion where she looks super smiley and comfortable. I’m also very much in love with her chunky buckled black shoes and while I don’t tend to be a heel wearer, I’m definitely coveting this pair.

Clemence Posey

This is how you do winter floral and The Tunnel star Clémence Poésy accompanies designer Erdem to the British Fashion Awards – he picked up the Red Carpet Award – and Poésy shows just why he won, as she’s rocking an Erdem creation. While I haven’t been loving the sheer trend overall (see every Dior gown Jennifer Lawrence wore for the Catching Fire press tour), Erdem has used this technique well and one of my favorite looks at the Met Gala earlier this year was Lena Dunham in Erdem.

Julianna Margulies

It’s been a big week for Julianna Margulies as The Good Wife celebrated 100 episodes and she looks stunning in Pamella Roland at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Gala dinner. The contrasting element of the crisscross bodice with the full skirt (with bonus pockets!) is elegant and adds fun twist on the monochrome trend that has been big this year. I’d maybe like to see a crimson lip tone, but other than that this is a great look for the Good Wife star.

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Costuming on The Good Wife’s 100th Episode: Color, Memory and Perception

3 Dec

The Good Wife likes to play with an episode format; from the type of courtroom a case takes place in to the different multimedia they use to enhance a story. The 100th outing is not a disappointment in this department and it includes an experimental sequence that plays with reality and perception. Costuming plays a big role in this as we see Will grappling with his heartbreak in an incredibly raw, sad and dark manner.

The GoodMultiple shows use flashbacks – Lost used them as part of their weekly narrative structure – and so it is hard to produce anything particularly innovative with this device. These scenes are generally very matter of fact and a good representation of past events. In “The Decision Tree” we are offered slight variations on the same scene, on both occasions Will and Alicia remember him sliding his hand in between her leg; yes The Good Wife knows how to make the slightest hint of skin the sexiest thing. This memory catches them both off guard and these momentary flashes are used as an emotional prompt. There is one visual cue that emphasizes their different memories as Alicia is wearing royal blue in her version and for Will it is red.

the good wife 5.10 red teamRed is the color Good Wife costume designer Daniel Lawson tends to put Alicia in to represent her power and sexuality; it makes sense that Will associate’s this color with this period of intense passion. Blue suggests loyalty and trust, something that is absent in their current relationship. It’s also a visual reminder to the episode that started it all in terms of the big Cary and Alicia split, with last season’s “Red Team/Blue Team.” Will is wearing the same suit in both scenes, though not the same quizzical look.

The Good Wife 5.10 Will's imaginationThe sequence that follows is equally challenging and impressive as Will prepares for court with an imaginary cross examination of Alicia. Fantasy Alicia is all big smiles and fluttery eyelashes; Julianna Margulies delivers her lines with a girly flirty quality and plays up the feigned innocence of Will’s projection. It’s top notch editing as we cut between Will in his office at home, the close up on imagined Alicia and the memories in New York. Alicia tells Will “this is the happiest I’ve ever been” and if this was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind this would be the memory that Will would want to keep, even if it is destroying him in the present. How much can we trust this sequence? This is the brilliance of showing conflicting memories as we can’t trust the veracity of these moments. I would even argue that Will has transferred a statement that he made onto Alicia, as Alicia did hold back emotionally during their time together in season 3.

The Good Wife 5.10 yellingIn Will’s fantasy cross examination he’s picturing Alicia in a suit of white innocence and this is a different play on Madonna/Whore complex. This isn’t about sex, even if a lot of their relationship was based on a foundation of passion and this sequence does include intimate moments. No, the idea of betrayal is how she portrayed herself at work as ‘the good wife’ while in his mind she was stealing Lockhart/Gardner’s clients. Will hasn’t really outwardly dealt with Alicia’s departure and instead he has thrown himself into work and hooked up with yoga girl (who sadly makes an appearance at the end of this scene, clad only in one of Will’s white shirts because of course). This decision tree process gives him an opportunity to question ‘Alicia’ and rage against her decision to leave which he can’t disconnect from their personal relationship. It’s a surreal scene full of pain and one of the best this show has produced featuring A+ work from both Josh Charles and Julianna Margulies.

The Good Wife 5.10Will tells his imagined Alicia “I don’t like it when you’re weak” and the real Alicia in court the next day is anything but.  Dressed in a dark suit, devoid of any color Alicia doesn’t get teary eyed as he projected. Instead she is calm in her responses and shows her inner strength; this episode includes some of the best death stares I have ever seen and I’m surprised there aren’t corpses littering the courtroom floor. Alicia won’t allow Will to emotionally manipulate her by using part of a conversation that occurred when they were at their most intimate.

It’s a bold episode and one that plays with the idea of emotional connections through memory. Costuming gives us a reason to doubt Will’s recollections and The Good Wife continues to use this aspect to enhance and add to an episode beyond ladies looking good in suits.

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